PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Max Crawford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Gray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gray has chosen Real American as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Crawford
vs
Gray

154 cm
19
177 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

184 cm
20
182 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Max Crawford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Gray!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Frank Dennis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crawford fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gray throws a sloppy head kick and Crawford moves out of range easily.

Gray moves into the clinch.

Gray has hold of one of Crawford's legs. Crawford is fighting the takedown attempt but Gray gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Crawford might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gray connects with a couple of short punches.
Gray is working Crawford over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gray trying to control but Crawford is working from the bottom.
Gray stands up over Crawford, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gray lands a couple of elbows.
Gray is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Gray drops back, looking for a kneebar! Crawford looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Crawford looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Crawford!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Crawford goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Gray rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Crawford's guard! Nice work there by Gray!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Crawford has a closed guard, preventing Gray from standing up.
Gray scoring with punches to the head and body.
Crawford keeping full guard, as Gray tries to pass.
Crawford throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Gray postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gray throwing strikes but missing.
Gray throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Crawford preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gray landing with the ground and pound.
Crawford could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gray throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Crawford works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gray wants to control from the top but Crawford keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Gray has taken the fight to the clinch.

Gray has picked Crawford up - he's going for a ride! Gray dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Gray scoring with strikes to the body and head.
It looks like Gray is going to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray throwing shots but Crawford is blocking nicely.
Gray with the ground and pound but Crawford uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Gray makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gray gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Gray drives through and clinches with Crawford against the cage.

Crawford escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Gray feints and as Crawford raises his hands in defense, Gray changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Crawford keeping moving, preventing Gray from controlling successfully.
Gray throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Crawford works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Crawford is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Crawford wants to sweep but no luck.
Crawford can't keep his opponent in guard - Gray advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Gray is trying to control. Crawford wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Gray is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Crawford on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gray lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Gray is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gray is trying to control. Crawford wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Gray dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Gray instigates a clinch.

Gray breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gray dips to his left and cracks Crawford with an uppercut!

It looks like Max Crawford has been cut.

Gray closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Crawford sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Gray working the head and body with strikes.
Gray is thwarting Crawford's attempts to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crawford tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Crawford is trying to get back to full guard.

Gray is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Gray working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gray throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gray has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gray wants to stand up but Crawford is controlling the position.
Gray is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Gray seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Crawford has hold of Gray's hands but Gray slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Gray decides to stand up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gray instigates a clinch.

Gray lands a takedown into guard.
Crawford bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gray's guard.

Gray is looking to stand up but Crawford isn't so interested in that idea.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Crawford accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Crawford throws a big right hand that misses.
Gray avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray is pulling down on Crawford's head. It's preventing any offense from Crawford, at least for the moment.
Crawford postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gray trying to keep a closed guard but Crawford is proving a slippery customer.
Crawford has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gray manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Crawford manages to get himself to full guard.

Gray is looking to stand up but Crawford won't let him.
Gray working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Gray postures up in Crawford's guard and throws a big left but Crawford blocks it.
Gray works over Crawford with some ground and pound from guard.
Gray wanted to stand there but Crawford had control of the position.
Gray throws an elbow that misses. Crawford uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gray's guard. Nice move by Crawford!
Crawford content to stall in guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Some wild striking there from Crawford.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Gray showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Max Crawford's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Crawford tries to sprawl but Gray drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Gray stands up from half guard.

Gray clinches with his opponent.

Gray has hold of one of Crawford's legs. Crawford is fighting the takedown attempt but Gray gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Crawford is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Crawford is working hard here to advance position.
Crawford utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray wants to stand but Crawford has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Gray postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gray makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gray postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Gray has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Crawford has momentary wrist control but Gray slips an elbow through the middle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gray has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Crawford is proving hard to escape from.
Gray working some strikes from top position.
Gray landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gray landing with the ground and pound.
Gray is looking to stand up but Crawford won't let him.
Gray is in close to Crawford's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Gray stands up from Crawford's guard - Gray perhaps looking for a knockout.

Gray gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Gray has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Crawford clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray trying to control momentarily.
Gray is hanging on to Crawford's back as he tries to escape.

Gray is looking for the choke from the back position but Crawford is controlling his hands well.
Gray scores with strikes from the back.

Crawford showing good submission defense here.
Gray is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Crawford up.
Crawford is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gray seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Crawford's chin but Crawford turns very nicely into Gray's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Crawford.

Gray pushes Crawford off and gets back to his feet.
Gray throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Gray comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gray has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 25:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 25:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Gray!
Post fight, an emotional John Gray said 'Let me tell you something brother,this is my first victory in my Mixed Martial Arts career brother and i will keep fighting for the United States of American brother!'.